The Satellite Hall, the third phase expansion project of Shanghai Pudong International Airport, officially opened on Sept 16, 2019, marking Shanghai reaching a new milestone in aviation construction.

The H-shaped Satellite Hall is the world's largest single-building satellite terminal. Located south of the airport's existing Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, the new 620,000-square-meter structure consists of two parts, S1 and S2, and will provide boarding, arrival, and transit services. It is part of a new integrated airport operation of "terminals + satellite hall".The S1 hall runs with T1 in the west, serving China Eastern Airlines, the Shanghai Airlines, and members of the SkyTeam airlines alliance.The S2 hall runs with T2 in the east, and serves Air China, China Eastern Airlines, Juneyao Airlines and members of the Star Alliance and the Oneworld Alliance.

Seamless transit systemA mass rapid transit system (MRT) moves passengers between Pudong's two terminals and the Satellite Hall, with a one-way trip taking a mere 2.5 minutes. Departure procedures such as check-in and baggage check-in, as well as exit formalities and security inspections will still be carried out in the main building of T1 or T2.Departing passengers, with the letters "G" or "H" on their boarding pass, need to take the MRT after the security inspections to get to the Satellite Hall for boarding. Incoming passengers, whose flights arrive at the Satellite Hall, need to take the MRT to get to T1 or T2 for immigration formalities and luggage claims. Transiting passengers should go to nearby counters for transfer procedures by following on-site signs.

Convenient boarding experienceAs the Satellite Hall has 90 boarding gangways, it is expected to increase the number of flights that can access boarding gangways from 50 percent to 90 percent. The 35 three-story boarding bridges in the central area of the hall are switchable in accordance with requirements of international and domestic flights. The new boarding bridges enable the number of passenger trips to increase by 7 million per year.

Comfortable waiting experienceThe Satellite Hall puts a priority on practical use and customer experience. With Pudong Airport's total area reaching over 1.45 million sq m, its passenger per capita terminal area now has increased from 4 sq m to 7 sq m, providing a more comfortable space experience. Multiple leisure facilities including functional seats and wireless charging devices are available in the hall.The Satellite Hall has more than 28,000 sq m of commercial space, of which nearly 10,000 sq m are the duty free zone. It also features a mixture of Shanghai taste and international diversification.

In the early operational stage of the hall, the airport will also provide travel tips through guide signs and volunteer services.

The third phase of the expansion of Shanghai Pudong International Airport began on Dec 29, 2015, and lasted for over three years. The construction project included the terminal area, the flight area, the support facilities and municipal infrastructure. The new operation of the Satellite Hall helps the airport meet the needs of the increasing number of air passengers and improves efficiency in flight transfers. Pudong International Airport now has two terminals, one satellite hall and four runways, and can handle a total of 80 million passenger trips a year.